Stories about European Union on WikiTribune – WikiTribunehttps://www.wikitribune.com
Come collaborate with us, because facts really do matterFri, 22 Feb 2019 11:57:40 +0000en-GBhourly1Vote of no-confidence to be called in Greece as Macedonia agrees name changehttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/95695/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Politics&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Politics&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Politics
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/95695/?talkSun, 13 Jan 2019 15:09:58 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=95695Story update: Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras survived a confidence vote on the 16th of January, winning 151-148. The Greek parliament ratified the agreement on the 25th of January, amid public protests outside of parliament. The vote ended 153 for supporting the name change, to 146 against the proposition. The name change is expected to become official when the […]]]>

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/95695/feed/3Concerns about British Medication Shortage Continue Amongst Brexit Fearshttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/94005/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Brexit&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Brexit&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Brexit
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/94005/?talkWed, 28 Nov 2018 22:19:20 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?p=94005Concerns around a ‘no-deal’ Brexit and its effect on the British National Health System continue, with suggestions that Britain leaving the Union could lead to health risk for patients, and sees pharmaceutical companies being asked to stock-pile medications to avoid a disruption to patient care. Brexit impact may be significant with Sir Christopher Wormald, the […]]]>

Concerns around a ‘no-deal’ Brexit and its effect on the British National Health System continue, with suggestions that Britain leaving the Union could lead to health risk for patients, and sees pharmaceutical companies being asked to stock-pile medications to avoid a disruption to patient care.

Brexit impact may be significant with Sir Christopher Wormald, the head of the Department of Health & Social Care, stating the three “concerns” facing British healthcare are “securing the supply of medicines, workforce questions and reciprocal health care arrangements with the EU.” This occurs in the wake of Britain already facing some medication shortages, such a “a critical supply issue” of Adrenaline, the medication used to treat many serious allergic reactions.

Health groups -including the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry and Brexit Health Alliance- have expressed concern, informing the government that they “do not believe that the current medicine supply plans will suffice” and that Britain “will have widespread shortages ….if we do not respond urgently.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock faced the House of Commons during question time, and stated voting for Theresa May’s Brexit deal is the “best way to ensure unhindered supply of medicines and medical devices” but that the government are “planning for the unlikely event of a no-deal.”

Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, confirmed that plans for a no-deal Brexit that are in place and will be implemented if British MP’s vote against Prime Minister May’s Brexit strategy in early December. It is suggested the plans would need to be implemented within a week if the proposal was not supported, at a cost expected in the “tens of millions of pounds.” If the nation left without a deal, Britain could negotiate to continue the arrangements but it would require individual agreements with each of the 27 EU member states.

Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, 2019.

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/94005/feed/0Serb-Russia, media freedom down on Vucic’s kneeshttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/91447/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Eastern%20Europe&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Eastern%20Europe&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Eastern%20Europe
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/91447/?talkWed, 17 Oct 2018 12:31:00 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?p=91447While the Iron Curtain seems to replace its boundaries over Ukraine, Serbia is playing the independent role as Josip Tito did under the former Yugoslavia. “Progressive” President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, now blinks both at Washington and Moscow, with a step over Bruxelles which is paying millions for supporting Serbia accession to EU.

Vucic’s agenda remains ambiguous as not national but foreigner media mostly depict it. The Washington Post recently published a brilliant analysis by Micheal Birnbaum: “Russia’s low-cost influence strategy finds success in Serbia”. The article highlights that last summer the Kremlin offered Serbia 2 MiG29 fighters jet. Vucic celebrated the gift gladly, despite the price of $209 million to be paid back to Moscow for maintenance. All come with 75% percent of Serbia imported oil gas from Russia’s Gazprom, which has also bought the National energy company. This is what could prove why Serbia didn’t sign EU sanctions over Russia. “65 percent of Serbia trade is with the EU” has written Birnbaum adding that “E.U. and its members offered more than $600 million in aid to Serbia in 2016, the latest year figures are available, 50 times as much as the Kremlin.”

Last week, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of Nato, opened the “biggest Nato Civil Emergency Exercise” which is hosted by Serbia for the first time. The operation involves 2000 human resources with the aim of strengthening “our capabilities, our readiness to respond to natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, wild fires, and flooding and other types of natural disasters”, said Stoltenberg during the press conference.

Vucic, disregarding the opportunity to consolidate Serbia partnership with Nato, has decided to welcome president Putin this fall matching the Civil Exercise. “See you in Serbia” has told Vucic during a call for the birthday wishes to Putin, adding Serbia is “privileged to have a sincere friend like Russia”.

Commenting after the boycotted Macedonia’s name-referendum, President of Serbia said that “Europe has to act more responsibly towards the region”. But Vucic and its media army have shown no interest in Macedonia joining to the EU, according to the instability of Moscow’s dictated agenda. European Western Balkan newsroom quoted some headlines by Vucic’s aligned media after the Macedonia referendum: “American hypocrites: Macedonians bravo for referendum, doesn’t matter that it failed?” or “Nato crashes in Macedonia”. Vucic’s intelligence agency also supported the progressive Macedonia VMRO-DPMNE party which didn’t endorse the name referendum. EU accession without Serbia cooperation in the region, means a poor result for Balkans democracy development.

Historically, Serbia is a non-aligned country, though this Vucic’s statement explains better what the non-alignment means to today Serbia: “It is very difficult to tackle people’s sentiments and people’s emotions. But even when we go to Russia, it does not mean we are leaving our E.U. path.”

Freedom of press failure in Serbia is key to understand how much the rule of law has been blurred with the rule by law in Vucic’s pro-Russia regime. Despite the recent opening of BBC na Srspkom and Aljazeera Balkans, which are published in Serb-Croat language, the sub-slaves’ region suffers tremendously the lack of media freedom. Russia Sputnik has also landed in Serbia, equipped with all its pro-Russia set.

Pedrag Blagojevic, Juzne Vesti’s editor in chief, has been recently awarded the Katarina Preradovic journalism prize for media freedom. Blagojevic’s choice was unanimous because “he fought bravely and persistently for freedom in journalism, the public interest and the citizen” the jury spokesperson said.

It declined drastically over the last 20 years. Media are free to publish what is unappreciated to president Vucic, but is a hazardous choice. We may call it a sort of “Self censorship 2.0”.

Editors are not thinking anymore what president would not like to see, they are instead doing their best to produce as much as they can of what they think Vucic would like to see. We can describe this practice as a kind of media freedom in present-future tense, as editors are predicting what the “one man” would like to see.

This is the heritage from some earlier period when the Democratic party was leading the Government. Although media freedom has been obviously much better at that time, the current regime has just made the censure-machine more perfect.

There is one episode that explains almost the censure in Serbia over national media, the first sentence of September 2011 “Report on Pressure and Control Over the Media in Serbia”, by the Anticorruption council of Serbian Government, explains“Media in Serbia are exposed to strong political pressure and, therefore, a full control has been established over them. There is no longer a medium from which the public can get complete and objective information because, under strong pressure from political circles, the media pass over certain events in silence or report on them selectively and partially”.

But the report didn’t analyse the regional and local media where exceptions may be found. Juzne Vesti is still fighting for media freedom. The Vranjske Novine which has closed few months ago under Tax inspection’s strong pressure, fought also a lot.

In 2011 it was impossible to read about the Report in any national media, TV, radio or newspapers.

Did you face external pressure during your job as editor in chief at Juzne Vesti?

Not so much before July 2012, when the current regime took power. Initially, strongest pressures have been threats by public officials that they will sue us, or were threats by demanding “corrections” of our articles. “Corrections” we never published as our stories are always fact-based. “Corrections” means “other words” for inserting undue opinions over our stories. Then we started to receive life threats more and more often, not by some anonymous, but from the highest ranking politicians and public officials including the deputy mayor of the second biggest city in Serbia, the head of city heating company and one member of national Parliament.

Since July 2012 we’ve received more than 15 cases of recorded life threats, but only a single verdict has been emitted in our favor. We’ve had indictments and court decisions “guilty as charged” for life threats, although the final sentence has been much below the minimum defined by law. Despite law defines 6 months to 5 years of prison, the biggest sentence has been 4 months conditional.

Rather than prevention as a goal of punishment, we perceived these sentences have been a promotion of such behavior. Among who has threatened us, is someone sentenced to 4 months conditional jail last February. This charge hasn’t impeached him to be elected as one of the top candidates of Vucic’s ruling party for City parliament one month later.

In 2017 I was followed by a secret service’s car which I’ve been able to photograph while they were filming me. It has happened in the city center, just in front of the central court building, near the main theatre, but the Police has claimed that not a single CCTV camera managed to film the car.

Another censure-method is the usage of Tax authorities which, during the last 5 years, have spent literally more than 2 full years inside our newsroom. They’ve taken the pretext to be there for “officially” checking anonymous reports on tax fraud and to staying as long as possible over us. Their absurd intent has consisted in never finding what could compromise us, this in order to get a reason for not blocking the investigation. The inspection lasted between 2 and 6 months. We’re a company with less than 20 employs. In the end we’ve got 5 reports, all stating “no irregularities were identified”.

During one of the inspections, authorities have required to show our contracts with international institutions which are supporting the newsroom, such as EU, UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe. The authorities finally have used the contracts as proves to depict the Juzne Vesti “working for Western intelligence services”. Authorities have unofficially shown the contracts to our advertisers and to the relatives of the newsroom’s collaborators.

Is in there pressure from local enterprises, organized crime, local politics members, or does it come from Belgrade government?

I didn’t notice a single point of pressure from local organized or un-organized crime. It is always from politicians, and not just any politicians but only high ranking ones.

How do you see Vucic’s position toward both EU and Russia, considering he will meet Putin during the Nato Civil Exercise this fall?

I had the opportunity to interview some of the world most important officials as Charles Prince of Wales, UK Foreign affairs minister, Boris Johnson and Swedish Democracy minister, Alice Ban Kuhnke, about how they see Vucic’s role, whether is him to be considered pro-EU or pro-Russia. The answer has been always: “EU, of course”, despite they have known from the pre-meeting preparation that all 6-7 most influential national outlets (National public service, TV Pink, Tanjug news agency, tabloids the Informer, Blic, Politika, Novosti) are owned and directly controlled by the Government (Public service, Tanjug, Politika and Novosti), or are main promoters of Government (Pink, Informer, Blic).

All the media I mentioned are strongly pro Russia oriented. The strongly pro-EU-declared Government directly controls most influential media which are strongly pro-Russia. This clearly shows Vucic’s agenda.

How do you think Serbia have faced the refugee crisis?

Accidentally, with no precise plan, but obviously much better (from a humane angle) than most of richer EU countries.

How Southern Serbia and its Albanian minority are facing the idea of the land swap with Pristina?

The fact is that no one is even asking people what they think. The reason for total media control is, in fact, for controlling what people will hear and see. As an example, the vice-President of Serbia parliament has recently said that Israeli investor has opened a factory in a small town in Southern Serbia. The story has been reported by major media but just a few media reported the story as a false news. Citizens see only what the Government allows. In that light, I don’t believe any solution proposed by Vucic will find people’s sustain.

Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center of Nis as a Russian intelligence base, are these rumors?

Some are skeptical but believe it in some parts, but there are some who don’t believe anything. I don’t believe it is a military base. It’s an old headquarters and warehouse of in-that-time successful IT company who went bankrupt, based in a great location – just beside the civil/military airport, highway, and railway. If someone would put something serious there, like some army camp, I will be surprised. But the fact that even on a global scale, international analysts are pointing the “Humanitarian center” as an important topic, that makes me believe the Center is just an empty shell.

Vojvodina is looking to be independent or is it ok with its autonomous status as a region?

On my view, Vojvodina independence is being used as a decoy. When central Government wants to move attention from something more sensible, it is always easy to take Vojvodina, Sandzak (Western Serbia) or south of Serbia (Presevo valley) as a topic. “Look, they want to take that from us”. If you don’t have an external enemy, it is always useful to have internal, even if it is a fake story.

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/91447/feed/1Ex-French PM will run to be new mayor of Barcelonahttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/89805/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Barcelona&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Barcelona&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Barcelona
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/89805/?talkWed, 26 Sep 2018 16:11:27 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=89805Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has launched his campaign to be the new mayor of Barcelona. (El País, in Spanish) Valls, who was born in the second-biggest Spanish city 56 years ago, made his run official after months of rumors. He will stand for election on May 26, 2019, on an as-yet undefined anti-nationalist platform supported by […]]]>

Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has launched his campaign to be the new mayor of Barcelona. (El País, in Spanish) Valls, who was born in the second-biggest Spanish city 56 years ago, made his run official after months of rumors. He will stand for election on May 26, 2019, on an as-yet undefined anti-nationalist platform supported by center-right Ciudadanos party.

Dr. Andrew Dowling, senior lecturer of Catalan and Spanish History at Cardiff University, told WikiTribune that the new candidate “will have to face Ada Colau [the current mayor representing the populist Podemos party] and the independence parties, so that it will be very difficult for him to become mayor.” Dowling added that “it is unlikely that he will have any allies, so there is no real route to him becoming mayor.”

On Tuesday Valls said: “Our Barcelona won’t have more enemies but poverty, unemployment and lack of security. I want to be everyone’s mayor, the mayor of a new Barcelona.” He described “Barcelona and Europe as an antidote to populism.”

Dowling said that “his candidacy will seek to capitalize the current polarization so he will contribute to further tensions”. The support of Ciudadanos may also contribute to this said Dowling, as the movement is trying “to attract new voters with the Socialists and the PP [right-wing Partido Popular] recovering.” Dowling said that “Ciudadanos’ moment has passed in Spain.”

One of the principal criticisms of Valls’ candidature is the fact that he developed his political career in France, remote from Catalan issues. In his campaign announcement, he highlighted childhood memories in Barcelona and reminded the audience that a cousin of his father – also named Manuel Valls – wrote the music to Barcelona football club’s anthem. “His problem will be to convey to lifelong residents of Barcelona that he understands their problems and the issues that confront them,” said Dowling.

Valls has also received criticism in France, due to the fact that he is still a member of the National Assembly there. Nevertheless, he announced on Tuesday that he will resign and leave all “public responsibilities” to focus on the mayoral campaign in Barcelona.

Questions to answer on Valls’ candidacy:

…

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/89805/feed/0No deal Brexit advice publishedhttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/88207/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Automobiles&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Automobiles&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Automobiles
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/88207/?talkThu, 13 Sep 2018 14:47:43 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=88207The UK government published 28 new documents explaining, amongst many things, how driving licenses, passports and mobile phone charges could be affected in the event of no deal Brexit. The main points from these documents are: Passports (document here) – UK citizens travelling to the EU Schengen area after Brexit should have at least six months left […]]]>

The UK government published 28 new documents explaining, amongst many things, how driving licenses, passports and mobile phone charges could be affected in the event of no deal Brexit. The main points from these documents are:

Passports (document here) – UK citizens travelling to the EU Schengen area after Brexit should have at least six months left on their passport. This limit will not apply to travel to Ireland. The EU Schengen area consists of all EU and exclusively EEA countries, excluding Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania, the Republic of Ireland and the UK.

Driving licenses (document here) – “Your driving licence may no longer be valid by itself when driving in the EU.”

UK citizens travelling abroad – The government says you may need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP), as well as having a UK driving licence to drive in the EU. You would either need the 1949 convention IDP – allows you to drive in Ireland, Spain, Malta and Cyprus (and it would last for 12 months) – or you would need the 1968 convention IDP allows you to drive in other EU countries, plus Norway and Switzerland – (and it would last for 3 years, or until your driving licence expires). The IDPs will cost £5.50 and be available from February 1.

UK citizens moving abroad – If a UK citizen were to become a resident in an EU country, they would no longer be able to exchange a UK licence for an EU driving license applicable for the country they are in and may need to pass a new driving test. The government says this can be avoided by exchanging UK driving licences before 29 March 2019.

EU citizens – Drivers with EU driving licences will be able to drive in the UK without any extra paperwork.

Irish citizens (document here) – British and Irish citizens can continue to travel freely between Britain and Ireland without seeking immigration permission.

Erasmus+ students – The UK government will cover the payment of awards to UK applicants for all successful Erasmus+ bids before March 29 2019.

Mobile phone charges (document here) – “Surcharge-free roaming when you travel to the EU could no longer be guaranteed.” The EU directive brought in in June 2017 which capped the prices mobile phone operators could charge each other will no longer apply to the UK after Brexit. However, the government said it would legislate to make operators set a cap of £45 a month on data usage while abroad – roughly the same as the EU’s current cap of €50. Mobile network operators 3, EE, O2 and Vodafone – which cover over 85 percent of UK mobile subscribers, said they currently have no current plans to change their mobile roaming costs post-Brexit

The UK leaves the European Union in March 2019, but arrangements for the terms of the UK’s exit were said to be needed to be finalized by October 2018 to give time for the UK and European Parliaments to vote on them. However, in recent weeks that October deadline has been pushed back until November by the UK government.

See WikiTribune‘s earlier story for the government’s no-deal Brexit advice published on other topics.

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/88207/feed/0UK surveillance ‘violates press freedom,’ ECHR ruleshttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/88165/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=ECHR&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=ECHR&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=ECHR
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/88165/?talkThu, 13 Sep 2018 11:27:48 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=88165Mass surveillance and interception of online communications by the UK government violates the right to privacy and freedom of the press, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on September 13. Intercepting journalists’ communications was found to breach safeguards for journalists, limit their freedoms and reduce the ability to properly protect their sources, the Strasbourg […]]]>

Intercepting journalists’ communications was found to breach safeguards for journalists, limit their freedoms and reduce the ability to properly protect their sources, the Strasbourg court said. It was ruling in a four-year case brought by the London-based Bureau for Investigative Journalism.

Data collection by GCHQ, the government’s communications agency, was also found to be unlawful for failing to uphold surveillance safeguards in a wider case brought by 14 human rights groups and privacy organizations. This was taken after Edward Snowden revealed mass surveillance by GCHQ and other agencies in 2013.

Add updates, information or new sections to this story.

What implications does this have for the UK government?

What investigatory powers does the government have?

What does the ECHR ruling mean for UK press freedom?

How will the ruling affect surveillance laws elsewhere in Europe?

What GCHQ practices are considered to be invasive?

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/88165/feed/2EU parliament votes to pursue unprecedented disciplinary action against Hungaryhttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/88130/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Current%20Affairs&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Current%20Affairs&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Current%20Affairs
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/88130/?talkThu, 13 Sep 2018 10:08:49 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=88130The European Parliament has voted to pursue disciplinary action against Hungary due to alleged breaches of the EU’s core values, including government attacks on the media, minorities, and the rule of law. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government denies the charges. Why is is this a significant vote from the European Parliament? What form have the alleged […]]]>

The European Parliament has voted to pursue disciplinary action against Hungary due to alleged breaches of the EU’s core values, including government attacks on the media, minorities, and the rule of law. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government denies the charges.

Why is is this a significant vote from the European Parliament?

What form have the alleged attacks taken?

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/88130/feed/2Tech giants could face EU fines for not acting fast enough on extremist postshttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/87984/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=business&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=business&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=business
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/87984/?talkWed, 12 Sep 2018 11:29:20 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=87984In his annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker proposed that Google, Facebook and Twitter remove online extremist content within an hour of being notified of its existence or face fines. In March, the EU gave the firms three months to show they were acting quickly to […]]]>

In his annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker proposed that Google, Facebook and Twitter remove online extremist content within an hour of being notified of its existence or face fines.

In March, the EU gave the firms three months to show they were acting quickly to take down radical posts. EU regulators have since concluded the companies haven’t done enough.

The Commission’s new proposal, which will need backing from the EU countries and European Parliament, calls for the tech companies to be fined up to 4 percent of their annual global revenue if they systematically fail to remove online extremist content within an hour of being notified (The New York Times). The proposal would also require internet platforms to provide annual transparency reports proving they’re trying to tackle abuse.

The proposed measure would go further than the current voluntary code of conduct on hate speech, which Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube joined in 2016. That code requires participants to, if necessary, remove hateful online content within 24 hours of being notified and does not give governments the right to take down content.

According to the latest review of the code, signatory companies have removed 70 percent of content reported to them as illegal hate speech within 24 hours (European Commission). Other companies have since announced they plan to join the voluntary code (The Verge).

What are the rules for removing online extremist content in other countries?

Germany – In October 2017, Germany introduced a law mandating social media sites remove hate speech within 24 hours of being notified, or face fines of up to €50 million ($57 million), according to Techcrunch.

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/87984/feed/0EU lawmakers give green light to controversial Copyright Directivehttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/87783/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Copyright%20Directive&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Copyright%20Directive&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Copyright%20Directive
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/87783/?talkTue, 11 Sep 2018 14:06:17 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?p=87783Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of the controversial Copyright Directive (The Verge) by 438-226. Negotiations with the European Commission and the 28 European Union countries will follow to bring together their different positions before updating current copyright laws. Add updates, information or new sections to this story. In July, the EU Parliament had decided […]]]>

In July, the EU Parliament had decided to back down on a copyright law proposal that experts have said is an ”imminent threat” to the internet, after a public backlash.

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Julia Reda, who has been heavily involved with the issue, writes on her website that there has been no ”broad consensus around an alternative plan. Consequently, over 200 individual proposals for changes were filed.”

The copyright directive in question became a matter of controversy earlier this year, because of proposals for the creation of a “link tax”, which would mandate that online platforms obtain licenses for quoted snippets of text accompanying links to news articles. Also proposed were mandatory automated “upload filters” for online platforms, that would check files for potential copyright violations before allowing users to upload them.

While technologists and internet activists have been mostly united in condemning the proposals, the artistic community, whose rights this directive is manifestly aiming to protect, has been split on the issue. On one side, notable statements in support of the proposals include a letter from musician Paul McCartney, as well as a petition signed by 165 filmmakers at the Venice Film Festival last week. On the other, there have been voices such as writer Neil Gaiman and actor Stephen Fry who have come out firmly against the proposals.

WikiTribune has previously written in depth about the proposed copyright directive here, here and here.

]]>https://www.wikitribune.com/article/87783/feed/2Human Rights Watch calls for coordinated regional response to Venezuela migration crisishttps://www.wikitribune.com/article/86599/?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=Argentina&pk_campaign=RSS&pk_kwd=Argentina&pk_source=RSS&pk_medium=RSS&pk_content=Argentina
https://www.wikitribune.com/article/86599/?talkTue, 04 Sep 2018 12:04:03 +0000https://www.wikitribune.com/?post_type=stories&p=86599Governments in the Americas should join forces to devise a coordinated response to the Venezuelan exodus that “has generated the largest migration crisis of its kind in recent Latin American history,” according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published on September 3. Add updates, information or new sections to this story. Regional governments, once […]]]>

Governments in the Americas should join forces to devise a coordinated response to the Venezuelan exodus that “has generated the largest migration crisis of its kind in recent Latin American history,” according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published on September 3.

The report coincides with the start of a summit in Quito, Ecuador, where regional governments met (Bloomberg) to coordinate a response to the challenges posed by mass Venezuelan emigration. The Organization of American States (OAS) will meet for another Venezuela-focused meeting on September 5.

HRW’s publication highlights the main challenges that fleeing Venezuelans face, and praises the region’s response so far. But it warns against growing regional discontent against Venezuelans, and provides recommendations on how to deal with the inflow of migrants and refugees from the crisis-hit country.

Among its main recommendations are: creating a region-wide temporary protection program to give Venezuelans legal status; building a regional mechanism to share responsibilities and costs associated with the mass emigration; and adopting and enforcing targeted sanctions against top Venezuelan officials involved in human rights abuses.

“While many governments have made exceptional efforts to welcome fleeing Venezuelans, the growing scale of the crisis requires a uniform, collective response,” said HRW Americas director José Miguel Vivanco. “Governments should adopt a consistent response to ensure people forced to flee Venezuela get the protection they need to start anew.”

Juan Carlos Murillo, the United Nations refugee agency’s (UNHCR) deputy director of the Americas, told WikiTribune in a written statement that at least of 5,000 Venezuelans are leaving their country every day. Over 2.3 million Venezuelans have emigrated since 2014, he said.

“While not all Venezuelans may be refugees, it is evident that a significant number of Venezuelans in host countries are in need of international refugee protection,” Murillo wrote. “From our perspective, a regional coordinated and comprehensive approach would allow to find solutions to the current situation to provide protection to Venezuelans, as well as support and strengthen their host communities.”

People ‘sell their fridge to buy a ticket to the border’

Tamara Taraciuk, HRW’s senior Americas researcher and author of the report, told WikiTribune the flow of Venezuelans will “definitely increase” if the situation there remains the same.

“When you go to the border and you talk to the Venezuelans fleeing, you see people that are desperate,” she said. “They sell their fridge or their cellphones to buy a bus ticket to the border and they don’t really know what they’re going to do afterward.

“Despite that level of desperation and the very difficult conditions in which they live, they’re still better off outside Venezuela than in Venezuela.”

The United Nations estimates that as of June 2018 some 2.3 million Venezuelans – from a total of 32.8 million – are living abroad because of severe shortages of basic goods including food, medicines and medical supplies.

Eighty-seven percent of Venezuelan households were living under the poverty line in 2017 compared with 48 percent in 2014, according to the National Survey on Living Conditions (in Spanish), a yearly study conducted by three major Venezuelan universities. Last year, 61 percent of Venezuelan households were living in extreme poverty.

HRW’s report also says Venezuelans are fleeing due to spiraling rates of violent crime, hyperinflation and a “ruthless government crackdown,” which has led to thousands of arbitrary detentions and human rights violations.

Where are Venezuelans heading?

Ninety percent of the Venezuelans who’ve left the country since 2015 are heading to other South American countries, according to the International Organization for Migration. From 2014 to 2018, the number of Venezuelan asylum seekers reached almost 300,000, according to the UNHCR. Another 586,000 Venezuelans are being granted other forms of legal stay. This means that over a million Venezuelans are in an irregular legal situation – they can’t get work visas or access basic public services. HRW also warns these people are more vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and abuse.

According to the report, the countries hosting the largest number of Venezuelans are: Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, the United States, Panama, Brazil, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago and Dominican Republic.

“Venezuela opened its doors to people fleeing South America’s dictatorships and internal conflicts in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” said Vivanco. “Its neighbors now have the opportunity and responsibility to do the same for the Venezuelan people, and governments meeting in Quito this week to discuss the Venezuelan exodus should stand up to the task.”